What is Data Extraction?

Data extraction refers to the process of collecting and retrieving data from websites, such as articles, tables, images, files, links, and so on. This raw data is then often processed for use in analytics or machine learning projects. In recent days, this data becomes source material for Generative AI models.

But data isn’t always freely available or easy to access. Often, it’s embedded within the structure of a webpage. Automating data extraction requires leveraging a headless browser both to navigate a site like a human would, but also to systematically extract the desired information. By emulating a real browser context, this method also circumvents anti-bot measures, heavy JavaScript-driven sites, and authentication issues.

Data extraction has diverse applications. It can be used for market research by collecting customer reviews from e-commerce websites, or it can be the initial step in a data transformation process in a data warehouse. In social science and public health research, data extraction can help gather insights to influence policy-making.

How Can BrowserCat Help With Data Extraction?

BrowserCat’s fleet of headless browsers can significantly streamline the data extraction process. With support for numerous programming languages and open source scripting packages, it’s easy to get started. Run your scripts in thousands of browsers simultaneously to move fast and iterate rapidly.

Try BrowserCat today, and transform the entire internet into your own personal database.